Each week, I'll be translating numberFire's Grant Hill.
12. Chicago Bulls (nERD: 60.5, Record: 15-9, last week: 12)
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (nERD: 61.2, Record: 14-9, last week: 10)
10. Atlanta Hawks (nERD: 62.1, Record: 17-7, last week: 11)
9. Houston Rockets (nERD: 63.5, Record: 18-5, last week: 9)
8. Washington Wizards (nERD: 65.8, Record: 18-6, last week: 8)
7. Portland Trailblazers (nERD: 66.4, Record: 19-6, last week: 7)
6. San Antonio Spurs (nERD: 69.1, Record: 17-8, last week: 6)
5. Memphis Grizzlies (nERD: 70.3, Record: 20-4, last week: 4)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (nERD: 70.6, Record: 17-7, last week: 3)
On November 5th, the Clippers got stomped 121-104 by the rival Warriors in Oakland. In that nationally televised game, did his best to rub it in. Blake played 31 minutes, scored 14 points, grabbed only 1 rebound and his team was outscored by 23 points while he was on the floor.
Well, Griffin's righted the ship (pun intended.) Since that night, he's averaging 22 points and 8 boards a game, and the Clippers are 14-5. But this season feels different for Griffin. He's no longer the relentless crasher of the offensive glass that he was as a rookie. Here's a chart showing the distribution of his shots according to distance from the hoop.
| Season | 0-3 feet | 3-10 feet | 10-16 feet | 16+ feet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 41% | 32% | 10% | 17% |
| 2011-12 | 44% | 27% | 6% | 24% |
| 2012-13 | 38% | 27% | 9% | 26% |
| 2013-14 | 41% | 22% | 8% | 30% |
| 2014-15 | 31% | 19% | 10% | 40% |
In five years, Blake now takes almost three times as many shots from beyond 16 feet as he did when he was Rookie of the Year. He's also grabbing just two offensive rebounds per game, more then one per game fewer than his first two seasons in the league.
There are a few possible explanations for his transformation. One, coach Doc Rivers prefers rebound vacuum MVP-caliber season, this offensive minded team will be a contender in late May and June.
3. Toronto Raptors (nERD: 71.6, Record: 19-6, last week: 5)
2. Dallas Mavericks (nERD: 74.3, Record: 18-8, last week: 2)
1. Golden State Warriors (nERD: 80.7, Record: 21-3, last week: 1)